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Interviews

Interview Preparation

A job interview gives the employer a chance to get an impression of how you present yourself in your own words, typically in a formal conversational setting. How employers conduct their interview can vary widely, but there are a number of norms and common practices that you can prepare for in order to present yourself in the best possible light.

 

Types of Interview Questions

In the career preparation world, interview questions are typically classified into the following four (4) types of questions:

Behavioural

Behavioural questions focus on linking your past experience to specific skills. This is the most common type of interview question where they ask you for stories, examples, or strategies you’ve used in real situations. When you hear prompts like “Tell me about a time when…”, you know right away it’s a behavioural question.

Motivational

Motivational questions are used to gain a sense of your drive and motivation, offering a glimpse of who you are.  The way you answer gives the interviewer an insight into your personality, interests, values and general skills.

Technical

Technical interview questions test your knowledge and skills as they relate to the organization, industry and role. This is your chance to showcase what you’ve learned in your academic program and experiences, proving that you have the practical skills to successfully do a job.

Non-Traditional (Stress)

Non-traditional or stress questions are designed to learn more about your personality, how you think and behave when facing uncertainty, and how you think creatively. Your responses help the interviewer assess your alignment with the company’s values and work style.

Behavioural Questions

The following are examples of ‘behavioural’-type interview questions, which ask you to summarize your approach to real or hypothetical situations:

  1. Describe a time when you were faced with problems or stresses that tested your coping skills.  What did you do?
  2. Give an example of a time when you could not participate in a discussion or could not finish a task because you did not have enough information.
  3. Give an example of a time when you had to be relatively quick in coming to a decision.
  4. Tell me about a time when you had to use your verbal communication skills in order to get an important point across to someone else.
  5. Give me an example of when you felt you were able to motivate your coworkers or subordinates.

Strategies for Behavioural Questions

When answering a behavioural question, especially one about your real past experiences, the most commonly recommended approach is to use the STAR format. The STAR model reminds you to include key elements as follows:

  • Situation (S): Think of a specific situation in the past in which you successfully demonstrated the skill or competency in question. The situation can come from a previous job, class project, internship, leadership position, sports or volunteer activity.
  • Task (T): Briefly describe the responsibilities you held during that situation.
  • Action (A): Describe the specific steps that you took to complete the task and achieve success. What did you actually do?
  • Result (R): Describe the outcomes of your actions. (Ideally, provide multiple positive outcomes.) How did it end? What did you achieve or learn?

Consider: How would you answer the example behavioural questions on this page?

Motivational Questions

The following are examples of motivational questions, which are used to gain a sense of your personality, motivations, and attitudes:

  1. Tell me about yourself.
  2. Why do you want this position? What do you know about the role and what interests you most?
  3. What qualities do you value in a manager?
  4. What are some of the things you find difficult to do? What are your weaknesses?
  5. What kinds of things do you feel most confident doing?

Strategies for Motivational Questions

Here are some tips for answering motivational questions:

  • Answers should be clear and concise with specific examples.
  • Briefly describe your experience, skills, goals.
  • Talk about your interest in the company and how you can make a positive contribution; relate specific experiences.
  • Avoid negative language (weakness vs. working to improve).
  • Include education/career path when applicable and where this fits within your future plans.

Consider: How would you answer the example motivational questions on this page?

Technical Questions

Here are some examples of technical questions, which tend to probe for role-specific or field-specific knowledge, understanding, and know-how:

  1. What theory would you apply to solve the following situation…?
  2. Using the following objects, create a therapeutic exercise for…?
  3. In the following scenario, what treatment/response would you recommend…?
  4. Explain the characteristics of Alzheimer’s Disease.
  5. How would you apply your training in this field to respond to…?

Strategies for Technical Questions

Here are some strategies for preparing for technical questions:

  • Review the job description and organization thoroughly.  Understand the role’s and organization’s responsibilities to help anticipate and practice potential technical questions.
  • Research the client base you’ll be working with to gain insight into their unique challenges, characteristics and needs to demonstrate empathy and preparedness
  • Talk about your thought process when answering to showcase your problem solving approach.
  • Highlight relevant skills and knowledge, emphasizing specific tools or techniques and experiences related to the question or the role.

Consider: What’s an example of a technical question that would fit the requirements of a job in your past experience, or in a field of your interest?

Non-Traditional Stress Queestions

Here are some examples of some non-traditional or ‘stress’ type questions which are sometimes used to evaluate how you improvise, self-reflect, or respond under pressure:

  1. What experience/person/philosophy has influenced you most?
  2. If you were a fruit, what fruit would you be and why?
  3. Why is your grade point average (GPA) not higher?
  4. If you were a novel, what would the summary on the back of the book say?
  5. Why were you not involved in more extra-curricular activities while at university?

Strategies for Non-Traditional Questions

Here are some strategies for responding to non-traditional or stress questions:

  • Remain professional, positive and focus on your skills.
  • Do not take the questions personally, make excuses or become defensive; being humorous is not the answer.
  • Often, there is not a correct answer, therefore logic you present to support your answer can be very important.
  • Be honest and try to make a relevant connection between your logic/answer and the position.

Consider: What is an example of a non-traditional question you have been asked, or have heard about?

Before the Interview

As you get ready for an interview, you will want to remember:

  • Review your social media presence and make adjustments to content and privacy settings as needed.
  • Choose your outfit, accessories, socks, and shoes that show an appropriate level of professionalism.
  • Get your clothes and materials clean, presentable, ready, and organized.
  • Prepare a portfolio with a copy of your resume, cover letter, and list of references.
  • If potentially relevant, bring a sample of your work (writing, design, reporting, etc.).

Preparing for the Interview

Contact Your References

Make sure they’re available and willing to support you. Let them know that you’re interviewing, and when. Send them your resume, cover letter, and the job posting so they’re prepared and updated.

Research the Company

Review not just the company, but also the industry. You’ll want to give a sense that you’ve done your due diligence and can ask informed questions. Similarly, be prepared for questions like, “What do you think of what’s happening in our field?” or “Have you read the latest news about our company?”

Prepare Questions

You will typically be given an opportunity to ask questions of your own. You will want to take the interviewers up on this opportunity rather than declining. Think about some good options beforehand. Asking an appropriate, informed, and thoughtful question can make a strong and lasting impression.

Preparing for In-Person Interviews

  • Confirm floor numbers, building names, and room numbers
  • Plan your route, traffic, time of day, and parking
  • Use an online mapping tool to do a virtual walk of the location
  • If you’re going into a city, plan for rush hour
  • If taking public transit, check schedules in advance

Preparing for Virtual Interviews

  • Test your camera and microphone and get your software up to date
  • Plan your workspace and camera angle
  • Use the “Blur background” camera setting or tidy up and make sure your background is uncluttered and professional
  • Ask roommates or family to provide privacy and quiet
  • Keep pets out of the room

Related Areas

Summarizing Your Experiences

Cover Letters

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